HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2842        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1458

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to increasing the penalties for ethics and lobbying violations..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Section 48 of chapter 3 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 3, the words “a fine of not less than one hundred, nor more than five thousand dollars" and inserting in place thereof the following words:-  a fine of not less than $1,000, nor more than $10,000, or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years, or in a jail or house of correction for not more than 2 ½ years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

SECTION 2.  Section 2 of chapter 268A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 46 to 49, the words "five thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than three years or in a jail or house of

correction for not more than two and one half years, or by both such fine and

imprisonment in a jail or house of correction" and inserting in place thereof the following

words:-  $100,000, or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 10 years, or in

a jail or house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years, or by both such fine and

imprisonment.

SECTION 3.  Subsection (a) of section 6 of chapter 268A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 7 and 8, the words “not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two years” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-  not more than $25,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 10 years.

SECTION 4.  Subsection (j) of section 4 of chapter 268B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 73 and 74, the words "two thousand dollars " and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-  $10,000.